Killer Copywriting - Part 1- The Magic of Your Lead
Why is the first paragraph of copy so critical?
Because if you start out soft… or bore your reader… it’s game over. No sale. But get them reading and you stand a fighting chance.
What do you need to do with your lead?
1.Ask a thought provoking question that arouses enough curiosity so they read like a madman for the answer 2.Read smooth. Use short words and sentences to entice your reader (5th grade level works fine). 3.Follow through on an angle or promise from the headline . 4.Carry out the promise and show the ultimate reward for reading your salesletter.
Most new copywriters can’t get to the point. When they send it to me and ask for a critique, I usually have them dump a page or two from their lead.
Remember, at this point you’re still in the A of AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). But your lead keeps their attention while bridging to interest.
In fact, when your copy sucks (like it’s not selling…), it’s usually one of 3 things. Your offer, headline or your lead. That makes it pay off to smooth those first pages out!
This is the place your reader knows what’s at stake and why he should keep turning the pages. There is no set rule for how long your lead should be, it could be a page, it could be 3. Some move into the big idea right away, some ease into it.
So get these 2 objectives met in your lead.
Give your readers your big promise - and intro your big idea.
What is a big promise?
Basically, it’s a claim about what your product will do FOR me.
Got it?
The big promise tells me what my life will look like AFTER using your product.
It takes all of your smaller promises and beefs them up.
That way people have a really solid sense of what’s in it for them to read your salesletter. It taps into the deep psychological wants of your market.
What do they want, what do they crave, what gets them excited and makes them scream for more?
Once you know those things, it’s the ammo you need to come up with a big promise.
The Big Idea deserves more attention, so I’ll devote my next article on it.
My very best,
Million Dollar Mike
Last 5 posts by Million Dollar Mike Morgan
- Using "Micro-Hooks" In Copywriting - June 24th, 2008
- Copywriting With Personality - May 25th, 2008
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